Episode-162- HR 875 Targets Small Farms and More

Today we take a look at a new proposed bill currently in committee in the House called HR 875. There is a lot of resistance to this bill (with good reason) but there is some hype as well.

Does HR 875 really say a home gardener can’t grow an organic tomato in their back yard? Does it say that home gardeners are subject to inspection by Federal Agents? The answer to both of these questions is a big no. That said there is still a LOT wrong with this proposed legislation, not the least of which is that the sponsor of the bill, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, is married to a lobbyist for Monsanto!

This bill places huge government power into a single agency, creates a huge bureaucracy for small and micro farms and small scale livestock producers. It clearly steps on states rights and further it consolidates power and hence the potential for mistakes, abuse and incompetence into a single orginazation.

Further it is being championed by Monsanto and other big agriculture companies that stand to profit hugely but requirements to use specific chemicals, pesticides, etc.

However the opposition is hyping some other aspects that are not in the bill such as shutting down the home gardener and ignoring the exemption for growers selling “direct to the consumer”. This is a bad bill, we should try to kill it but if we hype it that is a big mistake. There is enough bad here that we don’t need to be hypesters of alarmists.

Comments

Episode-162- HR 875 Targets Small Farms and More — 14 Comments

That is just about exactly what my take was. I read the outcry then read the bill. It isn’t a good bill, but the criticism is very inflammatory and off base. I believe the criticism is even counterproductive since it deflects the true discussion away from Monsanto, lobbying and the takeover and instead focuses it on something that isn’t even going to happen.

I wrote my trusty representatives and have had not one single response.

Even if it is a tad exaggerated in commentary, think about its potential effect on the Dervaes family, Small homesteaders who make some subsistence living off of selling excess produce.. The neighborhood flea market, the country farmers markets, etc.

With this and the NAIS, along with the CPSIA for home crafters etc friendly fascism is coming..
Making us all depend on the NANNY

I have put into storage a “complete Garden in a can” which contains 16 jumbo foil lined packets of open pollinator seeds. The plants from these seeds can be let go to seed and saved for the next years crops. Some of the seeds that are included in the can are peas,radishes,onions,spinach,cabbage,swiss chard,beets,carrots,lettuce,beans,corn,cucumbers,
zucchini squash,peppers,winter squash and tomatoes. The cost is a little pricey but will store for at least 20-30 years. The link for this is http://www.beprepared.com then enter “garden seeds” in the search window and Shazam you are there.

The smoke screen was covering up the Feds starting the printing presses for 1 trillion dollars.
I think Congress should also be paid only 1.00 a year. For some reason they never caught on that the retention was from last year. They already have been there and completed their jobs but they were too stupid to realize unlike them they didn’t get paid on the front end…but the bonus was at the end of their time.
Then what they did was piss on the constitution and willfully break the law to tax these people.
These are people that took an oath to uphold the constitution…what happened?

While the bill does not specificly mention an organic or back yard garden, they DO NOT meet the exclusions as outlined in #14 which specificly says Farm,Ranch,Orchard,Vineyard,Aquaculture Facility or Feedyard. The backyard of an in city or suburban home DOES NOT meet the definition of the exceptions. Therefore the way this bill is writen it is POSSIBLE that the government Could include the backyard garden. Now don’t go saying “well yeah, but….” Sen Dodd ment to say all bonuses with out a specific date, BUT as per him The treasury did want the Feb 11 date. So wha THEY Say and what they Mean are 2 different things.
Food Establishment for road side sellers COULD fall under #7 Cat 3 food est and or #8 Cat 4 food establishment.

The staff of Rep. Mike Castle of De. has confirmed tha the way the Bill is worded and that Gardens and roadside stands DO meet the requirements of either Catagory 3 or 4 as a food establishment and since they are NOT specificly exempted under the written exemptions in the Bill…. IT IS POSSIBLE FOR OUR GARDENS TO FALL UNDER THIS BILL. But as I stated above that is not what they meant when the bill was written BUT….. the door is open for them to do it if the bill is not reworded, or gardens and roadside stands to be written in as exemptions.

Jack, I disagree with your statement that this bill does not subject home gardeners to inspection by Federal Agents. The USDA’s definition of a farm is any place that produces more than $1,000 in potential agricultural goods per year. The definition is not dependent on you actually selling the goods! (See my forum post for details) This means that many home gardens will be subject to registration, inspection, prescribed practices, and fines under this bill.

It is also not “the potential” is is “produces” or “normally would produce”.

The only way to LEGALLY asses a value on goods is to monetize or trade them for something of a known value.

This bill stinks, it should be defeated but this need many have to sensationalize it is going to back fire if maintained, mark my words.

Again it is important to understand that most of the power in this bill already exists in our government today, right now. It is spread across multiple agencies and departments. The danger here is far more the consolidation of power rather then new power.

Yes, the bill doesn’t specifically spell out “backyard gardens”. But do you honestly believe they eventually won’t be amended in, if the produce is sold, given away, or donated to public shelters, possibly carrying disease. Don’t want little nephew Johnny getting sick from Aunty Em’s hybridized tomatoes fertilized with chicken droppings, do we?

Funny the disease carrying problems always came from big agri-business processing plants, and not for ONE single small time processor. Why are they “regulating” themselves, is my question? Hmm…. Something’s rotten in the tomato patch, if you ask me.

Personally, I do like one fact re: this bill. It will essentially kill the hybrid seed industry, with all the “potential” to cross with hybridized patented seed. (Dave’s Garden has included a line in the plants database…. for patent info on varieties of most herbs, veggies, and flowers. Smart!) People will not want to take the chance of hefty fines with growing hybrids. (True Food Police!)